Vending machines and methods of dispensing product items from vending machines are well-known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,948,416 and 4,702,392 disclose vending machines, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,445,287 and 5,505,332 disclose methods of dispensing product items from vending machines.
Although the prior art discloses vending apparatus that is generally useful for their limited purpose, i.e., dispensing product items upon receipt of payment, the prior art does not disclose a vending apparatus which efficiently and effectively markets the product items which it offers for sale.
The use of promotional items has proliferated in today's increasingly competitive marketplace, where companies are constantly seeking more effective and cost efficient ways to market their products to consumers. Effective marketing is oftentimes the determinative factor between failure and success for a product. The advantage to be proffered by a vending apparatus dispensing both promotional and product items is the increased sales of the product item resulting from the increased exposure created by the promotional item.
What is desired, therefore, is a method and apparatus for dispensing promotional and product items upon receipt of payment where a promotional item containing a preselected monetary amount is dispensed to provide increased incentive to purchase the product item.